Fall Break

To sum up my fall break:

5:30 Friday morning (16 Oct) we left our guesthouse in the North and drove until 1:30 pm (with a stop for picnic lunch) to Osire Refuge Camp. We toured the camp, talked to some teachers, and then those of us who were going to Zambia got dropped off in the town of Otjiwarongo to wait for our bus. Six hours later (10 pm) we got on the bus, and 18 hours later we were in Livingstone, Zambia. We checked into our hostel, which was the nicest and most fun hostel any of us had ever seen, and relaxed, then checked out the Zambian nightlife. Livingstone’s nightlife consisted of a single club – the hottest, most barfight-filled club I have ever seen. The music was good, though, and it was definitely very different than the places to which I go in Windhoek, so I was glad I went.

Sunday we went to Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. It’s dry season, which means the Zambian side has a significantly lower water volume than usual, but that also meant that we could hike out along the edge of the waterfall and literally look down onto the hugest waterfall in the world right below your feet. We had to run away from an attacking baboon, which was slightly less cool, if not any more terrifying.

Monday, I went to Zimbabwe. On the way I had to walk over the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, where all of the area’s bungee jumping is done. I happened to walk by just as a friend of mine was about to jump, so I stopped to watch her. I had also seen some other friends from across the falls the day before. They all swore it was great, but just watching them was enough to convince me I will NEVER do it. From my vantage point I could see what the jumpers could not – how close they were when they swung back up to hitting the underside of the bridge. From there, I continued into Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe side of the falls was INCREDIBLE – universally acknowledged as a better view than the Zambian side. The water was falling so hard that I was getting rained on from across the gorge, and as I got closer to the falls the landscape switched from typical dry season trees to actual rainforest – the mist from the falls is enough to maintain a rainforest year round. After spending a few hours walking around the falls, I went into town, ate some good food, and did some touristy window shopping.

Tuesday and Wednesday morning were dedicated to eating good food and enjoying Livingstone. The town is definitely most hectic and vibrant than Windhoek and is more of what I had expected an African town to be like. Windhoek is very colonial and European, while Livingstone is not. It was fun to explore, and I got some good presents at the craft market, but I definitely think Windhoek is a more relaxing city in which to live every day. Got on the bus at noon on Wednesday, and got back to Windhoek at 8 am Thursday morning.

Classes start again on Monday, but the rest of the week is all about relaxing, making lesson plans, catching up on school work, and going to fun places in Windhoek. Last night I went to a Cameroonian restaurant (delicious) and to karaoke at an Afrikaner pub (strange and hilarious). Today I’m going to the art museum and another art exhibition. Going to enjoy my last few days of freedom before I have to finish the semester.

Zambia

Arrived safe and sound, staying in a really cool/surprisingly luxurious hostel. Last night my dinner cost 20,000 kwacha (the local currency)...that equals about 4 dollars. It's crazy having money that's worth 50,000 of something. Today I climbed the lip of Victoria Falls. It's dry season, which means less water, but that makes it possible for people to get right on top of the falls and gives beautiful views of the gorge. It was amazing -- we spent several hours hiking during the hottest part of the day, but I almost didn't notice because everything was so beautiful. Out of internet time but will update more later.

On my Way to Victoria Falls

My spring break (remember, the seasons are opposite from the Northern Hemisphere) has begun. I am currently in a town north of Windhoek called Otjiwarongo, waiting for a bus to the town of Livingstone, Zambia. Livingstone is the town nearest Victoria Falls. The bus ride is 16 hours there, and 22 back (because I'll be going all the way to Windhoek), so hopefully I'll do some awesome stuff and have a really good time. I'll only be there for about 4 days, and then back to Windhoek for the rest of my spring break, during which I'll be taking a much needed rest.

Two weeks ago, I did a rural homestay about 20 km outside of the town of Khorixas. Some highlights of my 6 days on the farm:
-living in a dung hut
-no electricity, plumbing, or running water
-an outhouse! (a great surprise -- other students weren't so lucky)
-cooking over an open fire
-seeing the Milky Way and more stars than I've ever seen before
-milking cows
-herding goats
-BABIES! Of the human and animal variety (goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, cows, dogs, etc.)
-practicing DamaraNama (the click language)
-slowing down my pace, enjoying tranquility

After my rural homestay, I spent 2 and a half days in Etosha, the big national park/game reserve, and then on to the north (and a bunch of towns that start with O and are difficult for me to pronounce). A good couple of days. Unfortunately for my mom and others who want pictures, I haven't been taking any. Especially on the rural homestay, and throughout the semester, I have felt like having a camera has prevented me from really seeing, experiencing, and interacting with what's around me. There are 23 other students on this program who are much more attached to their cameras, so I will rely on them to have photos to share. I think the memories I gain from not using a camera will be more valuable than the pictures I could take.

Hope all is well with everyone at home!

Just Checking In

At an internet cafe with ridiculously long lines, just wanted to post quickly. Finished the rural homestay, went to Etosha, in the North now and still doing well.